Koh Samui, Thailand

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I spent a very relaxing weekend on Koh Sumai! It is stunningly beautiful there and I picked a great resort just based on its name and the fact that it was on Big Buddha Beach.

The Secret Garden lives up to its name and there are only nine rooms in the entire place. I had a small bungalow and it was perfect. It was a 30 second walk to the beach and there was always shade to be found. There weren't many people around the first day and after arriving at noon, I sat on a lounge chair for four hours before I was motivated to do anything. I finally walked to see the Big Buddha (79 feet tall), about a 25 minute journey. I made a small donation and got a blessing from one of the monks. The Buddha is of no historical signifigance, but it has become a landmark and tourist destination. You do get nice view of the beach from the top.

I went back to the resort and went swimming. The water was perfect and you could just walk right in. I floated around for almost an hour then got out to watch the sunset which was beautiful. The resort is in a perfect spot to watch the sun go down. I ate dinner outside at the resort's restaurant - an amazing seafood (prawns, squid, grouper) curry that was just spicy enough to be a challenge.

I slept great and got up at 8:30am for a pre-breakfast swim. At breakfast, I noticed a giant snake slithering from a tree trunk into a tree along the beach. It scared me and I made a bit of a noise. The people sitting next to me said they saw several of the same type snakes yesterday in different trees. I really didn't need to know that since my favorite spot on the beach was under a big tree! I had to get a photo of it, but didn't get too close since it was hissing and sticking its tounge out at me as I got near to it.

On Saturday afternoon, I caught a songtao to Chewang Beach. Songtaos are basically pickup trucks with bench seats in the back and a cover on top. They drive along the roads and you hop on and off them at will (and for 50 bhat or ~$1.25 per trip). They are an easy way to get around. Chewang is the most popular beach and it is beautiful, but it's also very commercial with bars and restaurants everywhere. It's hard to get a rest on the beach as the local hawkers come along with great frequency. I looked around, but didn't stay long befoe heading back to my quiet resort beach for a rest, a swim, a rest, another swim, and then dinner. I had a Thai stir fry of beef, red and green peppers, and onions. For dessert, I had a fried banana with ice cream that was to die for!

On Sunday, I got up at 7:30am and went for a pre-breakfast swim. The water was cooler and it took a few minutes to get all the way in. After breakfast, I caught a sontao to Wat Khumaram where there is a mummified monk. He died while meditating so he was kept that way and is now on display for all to see. He's wearing sunglasses which is bizarre, but then again, a mummified monk is somewhat bizzare in itself so maybe it's not such a big deal. I then went to see Hin Ta and Hin Yai, aka Grandfather and Grandmother Stones. These are amongst several groupings of stones and they quite realistically resemble male and female genetalia.

I then went to see Lamai Beach which was crowded with sand so hot I took one step out in bare feet and had to retreat. Instead I sat at the Swing Bar (where most of the chairs are swings!) and had a cold Singha and just looked at the beach and the water. I then went back to my nice quiet beach and spent my last few hours there. I wanted to go for another swim, but I was already checked out and it would have been difficult to change twice before my flight back to Bangkok.

What a great weekend! I highly recommend Koh Sumai to anyone looking to see Thai beaches. You can relax at the quiet beaches or party it up at the busier beaches. After the Christmas Sumai, Koh SUmai underwent a huge amount of growth as Phuket was essentially shut down for two years. It has retained its charm, although it is still undergoing development and I worry it will start to lose something. Although several small resorts and restaurants have gone out of business due to the economic slow down and the problems in Bangkok that have reduced the tourist trade, there are multimillion dollar condos going up all over the place. Quiet soon, the entire island will be lined with development.

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Photos

View from the Beach
The Big Buddha is just to the right of the sail on the boat at the end of the dock.